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Dwarf
Dwarves are a race of people known for their work with metals and stones they extract from the earth. The Dwarves are excellent craftsmen and have made some of the most beautiful and effective weapons and armor. They are more focused on work than anything, and so do not have religious beliefs for the most part. They believe in the Goddess, and celebrate harvest similarly to Lughnasadh, but generally do not have religious festivals or ceremonies. When not working, a Dwarf is likely drinking. Since the introduction of alcohol to their people, alcoholism has run rampant in their society. History Origins Like the other races, the true history of the Dwarves has faded to myth and legend. Most Dwarves believe that they come from the heart of the earth itself, given life by the Goddess and made by the All-Father's hammer in the Soulforge. These legends claim that the Dwarves fought from the Deepunder to the World Above, overcoming the dangers they faced below through strength of arms and skill. The first known Dwarven settlements in Cartham can be found in Old Kolduhr, underneath the Wyvern Mountains. Kolduhr Kolduhr was the first great Dwarven kingdom, and enjoyed prosperity for several centuries. Several schisms and fractures within the Dwarves caused several migrations of clans of Dwarves across Undercartham, forming the modern clans such as the Brenar of Coldark and the Havmar of the coast. The Dwarves' deep-rooted hatred for the Elves began to take shape when the Stoneheart Elves began to build quarry cities not unlike the Dwarves' own. The Dwarves came to view the Stoneheart as trespassers and warred often with them. Lords of Undercartham Following the War of the Serpent, the seven Elven Queens swore fealty to House Fischbach. Queen Euphrasia of Daibhidh was awarded the title of Lady paramount of Undercartham, angering the Dwarves. A war was about to erupt underneath Cartham when the King proclaimed that House Stoneheart would rule Undercartham alongside a Dwarven Lord. Thusly, Undercartham was split between the Stoneheart and the Dwarves, avoiding an all-out war between the races. Even so, the Dwarves felt wronged by House Fischbach, as not only were they forced to give up much of their land, but their King had been reduced to mere lordship whereas the Elven Queens retained their titles. Culture & Characteristics Faith Dwarves are distinct from the other intelligent species of Cartham, having no organized religion. It has been said that they tend to believe in "the forge's hiss, the charcoal's crack, and the creak of the fermenting barrel" rather than the Goddess. The Dwarves believe that the world functions as a large and intricately crafted mechanism, and all forces of nature are accounted for in this mechanism. Aside from this myth, the Dwarves do not believe in any deities and scorn the idea of priests and shamans. They are generally critical of religion, especially when it interferes with common sense. Gender roles The Dwarves have a patriarchal society in which women are not permitted to own property, and are rather treated like property. Women who wish to become soldiers must shave their heads. Aging Dwarves are a long-lived race, though not so much as Elves, and reach physical maturity somewhat later than Humans. A Dwarf is traditionally considered an adult once they reach the age of fifty. They age much like humans, though over a longer period of time, remaining vigorous well beyond 150 years old. Most Dwarves live to be two or three hundred, and some have even reached 400. Government Dwarven society, though simple on the outside, is actually very complicated and includes a rigid class structure similar to that of the Elves. Dwarves are ruled by a single self-stylized King, who is superior to the Queen. Their laws are strict and the punishments for breaking them are severe. There are absolutely no laws governing alcohol and its consumption however, which leads to other races often criticizing the Dwarves' legal system. There is no established currency besides the Carthian Daric, and therefore Dwarves often trade with metals. Darics are usually only used for purchases in the city and other areas of Cartham, while gold, silver, and iron are used as currency in Undercartham. Gold is, of course, most valuable, and silver is most commonplace. Dwarves do not take kindly to being offered fake silver, and will likely kill anyone who tries to cheat them. Dwarven law allows Dwarves to do this, and if caught alive, a slippery bloke caught cheating a Dwarf out of his silver will be sentenced to death. Warfare Dwarves are known for their courage, and make tenacious warriors. While they are very skilled in using gems and stones in magic, they do not seem to have a proclivity toward any of the other magics, and do not use it in battle. Because they are not well-learned in magic, they often accidentally misuse magical items they come across. However, they are experts in crafting and wielding magical weapons, shields, armor, gauntlets, and girdles. Dwarven armies are well-organized and extremely well-disciplined. They usually wear chain mail and carry shields in battle. They are especially well-known for the variety of weapons they carry; axes, hammers, swords, spears, crossbows, pole arms, maces, and picks are all very common among Dwarven soldiers. Relationships with the Elves Languages Dwarves primarily speak Dwarven, and most are fluent in Carthian as well. Most also know a bit of Elven, but the degree to which they are fluent varies wildly. One of their more common idioms is "hammer to steel", an equivalent to "I guarantee" something will occur. Naming Technology Cuisine Customs Dwarves are a noble race of people who often prefer to live beneath the earth's surface in great quarry cities. They are often compared to the stones and gems they work, as they are both hard and resolute. It's often been said that it's easier to make a stone weep than it is to change a Dwarf's mind. They are generally distrustful of outsiders, though they are not innately hostile. Like other magical folk, Dwarves value bravery and loyalty, and will punish those who cross them as they see fit. Dwarves value hard work above all else, and often view other races as lazy. Despite this, Dwarves fear the loss of life over all else. The short lives of Humans saddens them deeply, and many of their inventions were created in an effort to improve nature. Out of all magical folk, Dwarves are the most likely to sympathize with Humans, and they carry the Humans' mortality as a personal burden and constant source of sadness. Dwarves are able to forge weapons that have very special qualities. Some of their swords never lose their sharpness, never miss, or can cut through anything. Their armor is often impervious to certain types of blows, in an attempt to save Human lives. Since most of their culture is focused on creating things from the earth, Dwarves produce a great amount of useful and valuable trade materials. They are skilled miners, and rarely sell the precious metals and rough gems they uncover. They have been known to sell surpluses to Human communities. Dwarves are skilled engineers and master builders, and work almost exclusively in stone. They have a great number of guilds dedicated to their trades. Blacksmiths, silversmiths, goldsmiths, armorers, weapon makers, and gem cutters are very common. Their products are heavily valued for their workmanship and enchantments. Dwarves intend their creations to last Dwarven lifetimes, so Humans need not worry about their purchases wearing out in their lifetime. Dwarves have exceptional vision in the dark due to their tendency to live underground, and can often see up to 60 feet in the dark. When underground, Dwarves can detect the grade and slope of a passage, new tunnel construction, sliding and shifting walls and rooms, and stonework traps, pits and deadfalls. They can also determine their approximate depth underground at any time. The Dwarves place high value on independence and freedom of expression, making arguments a vital part of their culture. Similarly, honesty is a key virtue, and cheating and deceiving another Dwarf is considered a crime sometimes punishable by death. Physical appearance Dwarves are usually smaller than the average Human, ranging between three and five feet in height. This is not always the case, however, as there are many Dwarves who are the same size as, or taller than, the average Human. They are almost always stocky and muscular. Thin and lithe Dwarves are an extreme rarity. Dwarves have ruddy cheeks and bright eyes, usually blue, green, or hazel in color. Their hair is often red, gray, silver, black, or white. Their skin is naturally light in color, as they rarely see the sunlight. As Dwarves age, their skin comes to resemble stone more and more, even resembling marble. A Dwarven man usually has a beard, which denotes how old he is and whether or not he is married. Shorter beards or no facial hair usually means a man is not married. Regardless of his facial hair, a Dwarf has immense pride in his beard and grooms it carefully. Beards hold great meaning to the Dwarves, the braided cords vary in number, length, style, and decoration to distinguish traits such as age, family, clan, and battles won. Male haor tends to be short and unadorned. In fact, many Dwarven men shave their heads to draw more attention to their beards. Women usually braid their hair or have short hair so as to not obstruct their work. Dwarves are far stronger than they seem to be, and can carry upwards of five times their size. Dwarves usually wear earth tones, and their clothing is meant to be functional. It is often considered rough-looking, especially by Humans and Elves. They often wear great amounts of jewelry, though their casual wear is often not very valuable. They consider it in bad taste to flaunt wealth. Their clothes do have a tendency to resemble the Steampunk clothes of the Stoneheart Elves, likely because of their similar culture. Notables Factions and allies Ethnicities * Brenar * Dyppen * Fjeldar * Gnome * Havmar * Hoyden * Kobold * Korred * Orken Known Dwarves Main page: Known Dwarves * Crisdean Stuibhart * Durund Battleaxe * Eraol Schaffer * Krudd MacGobhainn * Oldor Steelhammer * Rolf * Rmir Ironhammer Etymology Appearances Category:Dwarves